STAFF VIDEOS
Aimee Blankson
Hey, y'all, my name is Amy, and this is a little bit about me. I am a current graduate student at Antioch University, and I am a marriage and family therapist trainee under the supervision of Kent Toussaint. Before pursuing my graduate degree, I went to undergrad at the University of Central Oklahoma, where I received my degree in kinesiology and exercise science, and I
was actually also a collegiate athlete. This connection here actually helps me see the connection between our minds, bodies, and emotions, especially during childhood and adolescence. Um,throughout my life, I've actually lived in a variety of different places. This helped me see that people in different areas think differently, but that finding your footing can take time
no matter where you are. I've been married to, uh, my wonderful wife for five years, and we now
currently have two cats and three dogs. My family has helped me know what big emotions are, strong
personalities, and the importance of patience and care. I also love spending some of my free time reading books. It helps me slow down, and it actually helps me better understand people as well, something that I'll bring into my work as a counselor. I also know from my own childhood experience how hard it can be to manage emotions, navigate friendships, and experience the excitement and fear of the transition of adolescence into adulthood. And with working with kids and teens, my goal is to create a space that feels safe, supportive, and real, whether it's using creativity, humor, or play, and these are especially important when words can be hard to find. For parents and caregivers, I see you, too. Therapy actually works best when we work together, and I want-- really wanna be there as a supportive person, as part of your village, uh, as far as bringing up your child. Lastly, to parents, kids, and teens, I want you to know that you don't have to have everything together, that we can be on that journey to figuring out what a healthy, uh, life looks like. I'm really looking forward to working with you. Thank you so much.
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Adam Parker
Hi, I'm Adam. I'm a marriage and family therapist trainee here at Child and Teen Counseling. Uh, I am also a father and a husband, and I used to be a film editor before I decided to become a therapist. I'm really excited to be working with the kids because that's when we start growing. It's a time
that is filled with highs and lows that can be really exciting, but also really confusing and painful. Um, and everybody goes through it. Every grown-up and every kid has to try to figure out who they are and how they fit in the world. I really like to work with kids collaboratively. I don't see that it's my job to tell them what to do or how to think. I see my role as one where I'm creating a space where they can untangle those feelings for themselves, and I do that from a
non-judgmental place. I really believe that there's no such thing as good or bad thoughts or good or bad feelings. They're just thoughts and feelings. My goal is to help kids with whatever issue they bring into therapy, uh,
so that they can move through the world better, whether that's at home or at school or with their friends or even in their own head. Uh, I want to create a space that's safe for them and move at their pace, because I really think that change doesn't happen unless it makes sense for the person who's making the change. If you have any questions or, uh, want to talk more, call Child
and Teen Counseling. I would love to work with you.
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Michael Brenner
Hey there, my name is Michael Brenner. I'm a marriage and family therapy trainee here at Child and Teen Counseling Center, and I'm working under the supervision of Kent Toussaint. Uh, I'm a graduate student. I'm pursuing my master's at Antioch University. I grew up and I went to school here in Los Angeles, so I get that it can be, like, a really tough city to be a young person these days. I'm also a step parent, and so I get to witness firsthand how tough it is to be a kid. Uh, for a number of years, uh, I worked as a music teacher. Um, I've been working with teens and kids, as well as, um, young people living with autism. And what I learned from that experience is that kids have a lot going on inside. There's a lot of feelings, there's a lot of questions, um, and they don't always have the words or the space to express everything that's going on. So I believe that's where therapy comes in. Uh, every kid deserves a place where they can be heard, where
they can explore what they're feeling without judgment, and where they can learn tools to navigate whatever they're facing in that
moment, whether it's stress in school, family changes, friendships, or just trying to figure out who they are. Uh, I want therapy to be really fun, safe, and inviting, not like a stuffy office where kids feel put on the spot. I want it to be a place where young people can express themselves
in whatever ways feel right for them. So maybe that's just talking, or maybe we're making art or music, or maybe we're playing a game. Every kid is different, and that's what makes this work really meaningful to me. If you're a kid or a teen, it might feel like nobody gets you or that nobody really cares what you might be going through. And I also really get that therapy can feel intimidating. So I'm committed to creating a space where young people can truly be themselves, and I'm excited to work with you and your kids. I look forward to meeting you.
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Lori Takvorian
Hi, my name is Lori Taghboorian, and I am a trainee here at the Child and Teen Counseling Center under the supervision of Kent Toussaint, who is a licensed marriage and family therapist. I am also working towards getting my licensure, um, in marriage and family therapy, and I am currently a graduate student at Antioch University in Culver City. I have worked for kids and
with kids and with families, um, for as long as I can remember, honestly. Um, it's been about ten years, um, and I have worked with them in many different capacities, like, uh, tutoring, coaching, and nannying. So working with kids has been really, really rewarding and really fun. They are, I think, phenomenal. They're adaptable and resilient in so many ways that I think
we can learn from. So that all being said, I kind of want to address the elephant in the room, which is that therapy can be kind of weird. Um, to, to come in and share about yourself and be vulnerable
to someone who's essentially a stranger in the beginning
is a, is a weird thing. It's, it's interesting, to say the least. Um, and I just want to validate that and take a minute to be like, "Totally," like, "I understand." So, um, you're not alone in that, and I think that together, we can kind of go from being, like, uncomfortable and like, "Ugh, really?" To, "Okay, this is fun. This is something I could totally do," and I know that
you can. So I'm really excited to getting to know you guys and getting to know what makes you individual and unique, what you like, dislike, what games you play, um, what... I don't know, just random stuff that you're excited about. Um, so yeah, I'm really looking forward to it, and I thank you for your time.
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Jasmine Jackson-Irwin
Hey there, I'm Jasmine, and I'm an MFT trainee here at Child and Teen Counseling. Grown -ups,
if you're watching this, give me just one second. I want to talk to the kiddo in your life first,
and you and I can connect later. I know this is weird, and I know you don't know me yet, and we're
gonna have to figure out how to work together. But I'm really looking forward to it. Therapy
can feel really scary and overwhelming at first. You have to sit down to a stranger and talk about
your feelings. But I want to make this fun, and I want to get to know you and figure out all the things
that make you who you are. I'm excited to hear about your favorite books, your favorite music,
the things you're learning in school that excite you, and maybe together we can start to build
some confidence and some courage to say those big and scary things out loud. I really want this
to be a space where you can open up and be yourself and learn how to express yourself in a way that
feels good to you. It'll take
some time, but I'm really excited to start working on it and doing it together. Grown -ups, you
can come back in. I'm Jasmine. Again, I'm an MFT trainee in my second year of the CSUN Master's
in Marriage and Family Therapy. Really excited to start working with you and your family. I
am really interested in working with families who are navigating divorce, whether that's
preparing for divorce or navigating the aftermath of a divorce. I myself come from a divorced
family and have a lot of experience with that. I'm also really excited to work with young folks
who are figuring out their relationship to their body. Whether that means figuring out what
their body image means to them or figuring out what their gender and sexuality means to them.
I myself am a queer clinician, and so I'm really excited to work with our young queer folks to
make them feel heard, seen, and understood. Really, I just want to get to know y 'all. I want this
to be a fun experience. I care so much about connecting with
everyone in the individual level and really getting to understand the things that make your
family unique and your experiences yours. I look forward to getting to know you and I'll see
you in a session soon.
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Russell Quinn
Hi, my name is Russell Quinn. I am a marriage and family therapist trainee under the supervision
of Kent Toussaint, here at Child and Teen Counseling. I work with children, teens, and families
who are going through hard moments, whether that's anxiety, grief, transitions, or just big
feelings that are hard to talk about. You might notice an accent. I am originally from England,
but I have lived in California since 2010. Los Angeles is home now, and I feel deeply connected
to the communities here. Having lived across different cultures and systems, I bring a lot
of empathy for families who are navigating unfamiliar territory or who sometimes feel like
they don't quite fit the mold. My style is warm, calm, and curious. I take my time. I work especially
well with kids who express themselves in unique ways or who might feel unsure about opening
up at first. I know what it's like to communicate a little differently, and I bring a lot of patience
and care to that process. I'm particularly drawn
to supporting young people and families who are coping with loss or major life changes. Grief
can show up in so many forms, and my goal is to be a steady, compassionate presence through it.
Most of all, I believe that every child has inner wisdom, and my job is to help them feel safe enough
to access it. I also involve parents and caregivers and family members when it's helpful because
healing often happens within our relationships. I know how much trust it takes to let someone
support your family. I take that seriously, and I look forward to meeting you.
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Ryan Rosenheim
Hello, my name is Ryan Rosenheim. I'm a marriage and family therapist trainee at Child and Teen
Counseling Center. And I'm a current Cal State Northridge graduate student pursuing my degree.
My first experience working with kids and teenagers was at the Boys and Girls Club in the West
Valley, not too far. And I was teaching creative writing and theater during the summers when
I was home from undergrad. It was my summertime job and I fell in love with it. I had no idea. I thought
it was just me doing a summer job. And I really began to see how quintessentially brilliant kids
and teenagers were. And I was learning from them all the time. They were so much more aware and
thoughtful than I ever gave them credit for. And it was really moving. And some of the creative
work that they produced was really therapeutic. And it was really important for them to be seen
by an adult, an adult at the time. By someone older than them who could kind of receive that information
and help them process it a
little bit. And I know when I was a teenager, how much my therapist meant to me and what I was going
through. I mean, growing up is a crazy experience. It's coming with so much new terrain and strain
on the body and on the mind, the heart. So having somebody that was kind of separate from my family
that I could go to and chat with and make sense of everything and connect some dots was really
important to me. And I wanna be that for somebody else. It means a lot to me. And one thing I'm really
passionate about is sort of helping the unseen become seen, not go unseen. And sorry, my dog
is sneezing. But it's really important to me to work with invisible illness. I struggle with
autoimmune disease and it's one of those things where you can't really see it. I don't really
seem like I'm ill at any given moment, but sometimes I'm really struggling. And to help other
people normalize the unseen illnesses that we might have from anxiety to an autoimmune disease
is really important to me, to help
people feel seen in that because it can sometimes feel really isolating. So I really hope to
see you at Child and Teen Counseling Center soon, whether you're my client or someone else's.
I look forward to meeting any of you.
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Lana Linetskaya
Hi, my name is Lana, and I'm so glad you're here. I'm a Marriage and Family Therapy graduate student
working with children, teens, and families here at the Child and Teen Counseling Center in
Woodland Hills. I work under the supervision of Kent Toussaint, a licensed Marriage and Family
Therapist.
I wanted to introduce myself, not just as a therapist, but as a person who your child
might be spending some time with. I've always been interested in people, why we do things, how
we behave, and who we are becoming. And I know what it's like to feel pressure. And it can feel
like you're supposed to have it all figured out. One way I like to describe what I do is this. I'm
like a diary that talks back. I listen, I care, and I help make sense of your thoughts and feelings
and emotions. Let me give you another metaphor that I really love. It's the backpack and the
talking map. Imagine you're on this grand adventure and you're carrying a backpack that's
full of thoughts and feelings. And sometimes
that backpack can get really heavy. It's hard to know which path to take or even what to keep inside
or take out. I'm like the talking map inside your backpack. I help you make sense of what's inside
and find new paths when you might feel stuck. I don't tell you where to go. I walk beside you. And
if you get lost, that's okay too. We'll figure it out together. Talking from a young age, really
talking, can help your kids feel more in control, more understood, and more confident as they
grow. Together, we can help your child build a stronger sense of self. To the parents watching,
I see you. I know that it's hard to ask for support. But the fact that you're here shows me that
you care deeply. I believe therapy should be collaborative. And I will work very hard with your
child and with you to hold space for everyone's voice. And to the kids and teens watching, this
is your space. You don't have to be perfect or know all the answers. I'm here to get curious with
you and make you feel more in
charge of your life. One step, one story, and one strength at a time. I look forward to meeting
you.
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Melissa Malatesta
Hey, how are you? I'm Melissa Malatesta here at Child and Teen Counseling. I'm a marriage and
family therapist trainee supervised by Kent Tucson. A little bit about me, I grew up in the Midwest.
I attended the Ohio State University for my undergraduate degree. Go Buckeyes! And now I'm
working on my master's at Pepperdine in clinical psychology. I'm really excited to be working
with kids and with teens. I know that these years can be full of crossroads and lots of different
curveballs are coming their way and to be honest, it can all get pretty overwhelming. What I
love about therapy is that it creates a space to slow down, to sort through, and it really builds
skills for navigating these challenges. My passion for this work comes from seeing the impact
of therapy firsthand, not for myself, and then as well as with friends and with family members.
The growth, the healing, and all of the small steps that add up to big changes, that's what inspires
me. My goal here at Child and Teen Counseling
is to create a space where kids feel seen, where they feel supported, and where they feel understood.
I love helping them discover their strengths and start to feel more hopeful about what's ahead.
Outside of the therapy room, I really like to stay active. Whether that's Pilates, hiking,
playing tennis, going for a walk, you can usually find me outdoors. I also recently took up Mahjong.
It's a little bit like Rummikub, if you've ever played that game. Love playing games. And it's
just really fun, something to do with friends. I also enjoy traveling, spending time with my
family. I have two young children, and trying out new restaurants. I look forward to meeting
you and supporting you on your journey ahead.
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Your Name Here
I knew Child and Teen Counseling was my first choice from the start. I came in and I was like, oh,
this feels really good here. I chose Child and Teen Counseling as my practicum site because
I see how successful people coming from the site turn out to be. It was the feeling I had when I
came here, the people I got to meet and the excitement I felt kind of at a really visceral level
about looking forward to being around these people day in and day out. and I really appreciated
even the interviewing environment. Everyone was sitting low on the ground together in this
well -lit room, and I felt safe there as an interviewee, which made me feel like, oh, this must
probably feel good on the side of the clients. For me, I think the most helpful thing was just
the community. I think the fact that all the associates and all the trainees were really supportive
when I first came in. other trainees, people that were ahead of me and below me, the associates,
Kent, Brian, Bennett, Robin, like it's a
whole family here. My favorite thing about this place is the tight -knit community. Everyone
is very supportive of each other, the staff, supervisors, everyone looks out for each other.
Everyone is there to, you know, help each other out and just be there for one another. And that's
something I was looking for from the beginning. It really helped me feel comfortable here and
it made me feel supported like not just by like oh I have a supervisor I can ask questions but I
have like a community of people who can help me. I really wanted somewhere where there was a strong
emphasis on supervision. So one thing that I've talked a lot with with the clinical supervisors
here about it's just about trusting my gut and my intuition. Doing that I think has really helped
me be in the room and be present in a way that's more authentic, that's easier for my clients to
connect. We just get a lot of freedom to kind of meet the client where they're at, whatever kind
of approach is that we have, and I just
really appreciate that. You know, my cohort, the people that I interviewed with and that I trained
with, we all went through the training process and learned to kind of find our voice. It's so
freeing to just have that liberty to do whatever I feel is right for the client and not necessarily
right for like the parent or right for my supervisor or things like that. It's like the client
first and foremost and I like that we get to have that Tommy. I think it really surprised me how
much I enjoy it. I mean I knew I would enjoy it. I'm surprised at how much I love the work. It feels
so fulfilling, and I really love getting to know the whole family, and something else that surprised
me is how I do get to know the whole family through working with one kid. I kind of have an idea when
I first started here that, oh yeah, like kids and teens, that'll be cool, but I don't know if it's
something I want to do the rest of my life. but I could definitely see myself doing this the rest
of my life. I think
I'm gonna miss the grind and the experience of like being in the office and like in CTC, in the
heart of CTC.
